


We're there, Kid

by FelicisMagic18873



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, avengers endgame - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I just need Tony back, Irondad, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Tony Stark, Time Travel Fix-It, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-06-28 18:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19818022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelicisMagic18873/pseuds/FelicisMagic18873
Summary: Tony wrapped his arms around the kid who had barrelled into his chest with a broken whisper of 'Mr.Stark'. He almost made a joke about the kid's obsession with trying to hug him but stopped when he realized something that sent a chill down his spine.The kid was crying.His shoulders shook under Tony's hands as he took shuddering breaths, a wet spot formed on Tony's T-Shirt. Tony tightened his hold, what could have happened to the kid in the last few hours?__Peter finds himself back in time before everything happened. Somehow it is too much and not enough at the same time.





	1. Chapter 1

When Peter fell asleep four months after the blip, it was to the sound of May arguing with the landlady again. These days it seemed like that was all that everyone did, argue. Whether it was about ownership of apartments and security deposits, which May was currently arguing about, or something as simple as which seat belonged to whom in school.

As for Peter, Peter didn't bother to argue with anyone. So what if he had to be assigned a new locker and had to sit with a new class, these days he could barely bring himself to bother about such things. There were greater things that plagued his nights and haunted his dreams. Thoughts and nightmares, things that could've been done, things that could change the outcome of what had happened.

Wishes and tears.

That's what Peter fell asleep to. Confusion and shock are what he woke up to. His head snapped up as someone cleared their throat, he could hear suppressed laughter all around. 

"Mr.Parker, is my lecture interrupting your nap time?" , Miss Warren raised an eyebrow, her hands were on her hips. An unimpressed look was directed towards him.

Peter quickly sat up with mumbled apologies from where he was sleeping on his desk. Miss Warren took a deep breath then turned back towards the board continuing her explanation about one thing or another. Peter gave a stray thought to how weird it was to be on the other end of Miss Warren's disappointed look, it was usually Flash who received it.

Then he remembered that Miss Warren left school five years ago after her family was snapped away and didn't return after the blip and the class he was sitting in was no longer his. Familiar faces surrounded him, faces that had aged five years the last time he had looked into them. 

Ned was looking at him with a worried look, Flash was smirking, MJ looked thoroughly uninterested. Peter felt the breath stuck in his throat. 

This was his class before everything. Before the snap, before the blip, before everything, before Mr.Stark died. Mr.Stark! 

Peter stood up with a thud bringing everyone's attention to himself. 

"M-Miss Warren, I don't feel very good. May I go to the nurse?"

His face must have shown something that confirmed his statement maybe his panic or painful hope cause Miss Warren just nodded. Peter refused to think over what his being here might mean or how this could've happened, the only thing in his mind was the urgency to get out of school, to go....somewhere, leave, see, understand. The time for panicking was later, he could determine if he was dreaming later he just needed to leave now.

Peter ran out of the room faster than was probably normal and he was sure to be the topic of discussion but it didn't matter. He climbed out of the nearest exit not even bothering to pretend to go to the nurse. 

One breath. Two. He swung away.

* * *

Peter didn't stop until he was standing before the Avengers compound. The walls stood upright, there was a hustle. People walking by, working. It was still a place of hope, of the future, not a graveyard of bad memories and loss.

He walked in as if in a trance, looking around with an unseeing gaze, trying to make himself believe this was real. He could almost see the scene of the battle superimposed on that of this relatively normal building. A few people bumped into him, some saying a 'hello' when they recognized him. It didn't take long before he was crossing over to the private portion, standing near the elevator that leads down to the lab. 

He couldn't bring himself to walk into the elevator. Because if he wasn't there if he wasn't down there working away on something, humming along to some old song that Peter also loved but teased him about, if he wasn't there it would break this dream, this dream or fantasy or whatever this is would be for nothing. 

Peter closed his eyes, took a deep breath, gathered whatever remained of his courage and stepped in. 

FRIDAY greeted him, the doors closed.

* * *

Tony was on a binge, he had been working on Rhodey's braces for over 6 hours when FRIDAY announced Peter's arrival and even though he had no real sense of time down in the lab, he did know that the kid wasn't supposed to be there for at least a few more hours. 

Peter had checked in with him before school and according to his calculations, he should've been done with the modifications on the braces when the kid came which meant the kid was early.

Tony wiped his hands off with the towel that was laying by and signaled FRIDAY to save the modifications. He was almost done with the modification to the joints which would allow for better support of Rhodey's spine, he could finish it after the kid was gone. He had promised Peter that they would work on his suit today, He wouldn't admit it but he enjoyed having the kid around more, especially with his high energy and enthusiasm about anything they did together.

Tony heard the kid come in and stop. Tony rolled his eyes making a point to remind Peter that he didn't need permission to come to the lab, at least not this one. He never did anything dangerous in this part of the lab anyways. 

He turned around with a smile, stilling when he saw the kid. Peter looked...shocked, scared, in disbelief. Tony didn't know how to describe it.

"Kid, You okay?"

Peter looked pale under the lab lighting, his eyes wide and arms wrapped around his middle. Before Tony could say anything, the kid rushed forward slamming against Tony making them both stumbled. Tony grabbed onto the kid and steadied both of them.

"Pete?"

There was no answer, Tony wrapped his arms around the kid who had barrelled into his chest with a broken whisper of 'Mr.Stark'. He almost made a joke about the kid's obsession with trying to hug him but stopped when he realized something that sent a chill down his spine.

The kid was crying.

His shoulders shook under Tony's hands as he took shuddering breaths, a wet spot formed on Tony's T-Shirt. The kid was mumbling something between suppressed sobs and 

"I'm so sorry, Mr.Stark. I-I-Sorry-Sorry-"

Tony tightened his hold, worry gripping his heart. What could have happened to the kid in the last few hours to do this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what to say. This scene refused to leave me alone. Its been plaguing me since last night so I wrote it out and well...posted it. I literally finished writing it about five minutes ago and decided to post it on a whim. Let me know if you'd like to see more of this story? I have a vague plot in my head, I might just end up writing it just to get it out of my mind. Did you get where the title's from? As always, Thanks for reading.  
> -Marey


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** Tony wrapped his arms around the kid who had barreled into his chest with a broken whisper of ‘Mr.Stark’. He almost joked about the kid’s obsession with trying to hug him but stopped when he realized something that sent a chill down his spine. The kid was crying.

His shoulders shook under Tony’s hands as he took shuddering breaths, a wet spot formed on Tony’s T-Shirt. Tony tightened his hold, what could have happened to the kid in the last few hours to do this?

—

**Peter finds himself back in time before everything happened. Somehow it is too much and not enough at the same time.** ****

  


"You were gone, we lost you-I lost you. You were gone-"

The tears had stopped thankfully, so had the violent sobs but Peter still clung to his mentor and Tony didn't bother to push him away. Somehow this felt more than some trivial issue or teenage angst, not that Peter had much of that either. 

The kid kept repeating himself, sometimes apologizing, sometimes telling him not to go. It was clear that the kid needed the comfort so Tony let him have it, he let Peter wear himself out until it was safe to get him out of whatever head-space he had created for himself. He so wasn't equipped to handle this, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try his hardest anyway. 

"Its okay kid, You're okay. Breathe with me, Pete. Come on, in and out. That's it,"

It was clear that the kid had been on the verge of a panic attack when he came in and Tony tried not to say anything that might push him over the edge.

It felt like he had held the crying teen in his arms for ages (though it must have been only a few minutes) before he calmed down, every moment he cried was a moment too long. As the breaths calmed down and the sobs faded away, Tony finally spoke, 

"Kid I'm not following you, You're gonna have to catch me up," He made sure to keep his voice soft, his hand still moved up and down the kid's back in a gentle touch, "Did you have a nightmare? Is that what caused this? " He kept his voice low, ignoring the pain in his back from standing so long. 

"You were gone," Peter repeated like a broken toy, pulling away to look at Tony with bloodshot eyes. Tear tracks glinted in the light, Peter didn't wipe them away, too focused on looking at Tony as if Tony would disappear if he so much as blinked.

"Okay.Okay. See I'm here now. I'm right here kiddo. Not going anywhere," Tony rested both his hands on Peter's shoulders holding him lightly, grounding him.

"You won't go?" Peter sounded so much younger than his age that it sent a spike of pain through Tony.

Tony shook his head in answer, some of the tension left Peter's shoulders.

"You won't go," Peter said to himself as if trying to make himself believe it, "But you did." He whispered in the end, lowering his head looking down at the ground.

Tony moved his hand to Peter's neck, tilting his head and making him look at Tony.

"I am not going anywhere, Kid. I promise. Whatever you saw, or you think you saw must have been a nightmare. Trust me, I get plenty of them myself."

"A nightmare," Peter breathed out," It didn't feel like it." His eyes ran over Tony's face as if he was trying to memorize it.

Tony's mind flashed back to glowing hands, red haze and desperation. Surely it wasn't-She couldn't be-She wasn't here, no reason for her to go after the kid. There was a moment of silence, then Peter seemed to have pulled himself out of whatever was bothering him. Tony could visibly see him trying to pull himself back together.

"I'm fine Mr.Stark," Peter quickly said, stepping away and wiping his face pretending like it wasn't the last thing he wanted to do at that moment, but his body language betrayed him, "Its nothing,"

Tony stepped forward opening his mouth to tell that kid that it was okay, that he had nothing to apologize for, but the kid was already moving away.

"I am sorry, uh, I shouldn't have bothered you. I shouldn't have come here. I am just gonna...leave." and with that, he ran out of the lab.

Tony stared at the door for a second before snapping out of whatever stupor he was left in,

"FRIDAY, What just happened?"

"Boss, I do believe Mr.Parker proceeded to have an emotional breakdown in your lab before running away.

Tony closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Yeah, that's what I thought," He could still feel the wet spot on his chest, the desperation in the kid's eyes. It bothered him more than he thought it would.

"FRIDAY, patch me through to Black kitty will you?" 

"Boss?" 

"I need to confirm that Ca-Rogers and his gang was nowhere near the kid and while you're at it keep an eye on the kid, make sure he reaches home safely," Going now after the kid would only make him feel trapped, which is the last thing he wanted.

He did make a note to call May tomorrow to have the kid over, he couldn't get over how fragile Pete looked.

"Of course boss,"

* * *

Peter left the compound as fast as he could, he kept swinging until he reached home. To May, to a place that still had shadows of the people that lived there in the years both of them were gone.

It was becoming difficult to think, even swinging was different, there were buildings where they shouldn't be (they were most probably destroyed during the second invasion of New York) and buildings that he remembered from the past three months were no longer there.

He swallowed down the panic and climbed into his bedroom through the window, stopping the moment he entered. It was just the way he remembered, from before. There were no crayon marks on the walls, his posters were still there, the bunk bed, the books, everything was where it should have been, where it wasn't in the future (or was it the past?). A lot of his stuff had gone missing before rest was put in a storage unit by Mr.Stark when he came back from space. 

A shiver went down Peter's spine, was all this really happening or was it some sort of cruel convoluted dream? Peter closed the door, sitting down on the bed. 

Mrs.Potts-Pepper had told him everything Mr.Stark had done to save everyone, to save him and one thing was clear, if he was in the past he needed to be careful.

He needed to be careful and he-he needed to do whatever it took to make sure things didn't end the same way. To make sure Morgan (when she was born) wouldn't have to lose her father, to make sure that he didn't-lose his mentor that is, not father, mentor.

Peter closed his eyes and curled up on the bed.

Whatever it takes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was blown away by the response. Thanks, everyone, hope you enjoy this chapter. It was the same drill as before, posting this right after writing *Shrug* so if there are any mistakes, feel free to point em out,  
> -Marey


	3. Chapter 3

Peter woke up with a start, going from sleep to wakeful in a single instant, his hand lashing out to grab the wrist that was about to touch his face. It took him one second to realize whose hand it was and another to feel internally horrified that he could have easily broken May's wrist if he hadn't subconsciously controlled his strength. 

"May?", Peter whispered, his voice laden with sleep. "Wha'?"

May who still seemed to be in shock, quickly pulled herself out of it and proceeded to glare at Peter, "Get up Pete, we need to talk."

Peter sat up slowly, letting go of May's wrist gently and running a hand through his hair. May seemed to be gathering her courage, she crossed her arms and Peter recognized the look on her face with an internal sigh. It was her 'I am gonna parent you whether you like it or not' look, it usually appeared when May convinced herself that she needed to be more strict with him.

"Look, I know I said I was okay with you being Spiderman and all but we made a deal, Pete. You get to continue this hero stuff as long as it doesn't interfere with your studies, "

"But it's not," Peter insisted.

"Well, apparently it is cause you decided it was okay for you to leave school halfway through the day without a word and then return home as if nothing happened. This can't go on, Peter." 

Peter leaned back, suddenly tired. "It wasn't that,"

"What?"

"It wasn't anything Spidey related," He managed to say, his voice breaking a bit as the events of the day rushed back into his mind. Peter mentally prayed to whatever deity that was out there that this was actually happening that it wasn't some fever-induced dream.

May sat down next to him on the bed, her anger fading away in wake of his obvious sorrow, "Pete," she said in a soft manner, "Are you okay honey?" 

Peter choked down a chuckle, knowing that it might actually lead to him bawling his eyes out again. He heard that sentence way too many times in the past four months that by now the answer was a reflex of his, 

"Yeah, I am fine," He pretended he wasn't holding back from rushing out of the window once more and going back to the compound. It took everything in him not to run back to Mr.Stark.

May clearly didn't believe him, she just waited silently for him to continue. 

"I'm fine May, really. I just...uh-It was stupid. Flash was being a jerk and I wasn't feeling well anyways so...it was rash, I know. It won't happen again, " 

May stared at him for a while before dropping the matter, it was clear he had no intention to continue the discussion, "Yeah, that'll be ideal really. But Pete," She waited for him to look at her, "You know you can talk to me about stuff right? I know you didn't want me to make a complaint against Flash but just-anything...anything you wanna talk about, I'm here," 

Peter almost broke down right there, almost admitted everything that was going on, the empty feeling he had for the past few months, the pain and loss, how hard it was to do anything.

Almost.

Outwardly he just nodded his head and said, "Right"

May reminded him that as it was Sunday she would probably have night duty and left to get ready.

Peter watched her go.He couldn't tell her, he couldn't be that selfish. He knew how these stories ended, if he was in the past he couldn't babble to anyone about the future, not even Mr.Stark. But he needed help, a sudden idea flashed through his mind and it might be stupid, it was something at least. He got up from his bed and opened up his Stark Tablet. He took a deep breath before typing in 'Doctor Stephan Strange'

* * *

There wasn't any recent news about Doctor Strange, it seemed like the surgeon (and wasn't that a shock, he was a real doctor) had disappeared a few months after his accident. And while that was disappointing, he was sure he could find one way or another to contact the wizard. 

It was weird seeing him in pictures without his extravagant attire, even more so when looking at him reminded Peter of endless space, of the battle he didn't think he'd survive but he managed to somehow. It reminded him of death.

There was a reason Peter had pulled back from everything Spiderman and Avenger related since taking off his uniform for the funeral, and it definitely wasn't him being too busy.

Finally, after hours of research Peter finally reached the conclusion that there was no way to approach this delicately, he'd just have to barge his way into the wizard's lair ( what was it called again?) and speak to him. 

Doctor Strange had been missing for over a year, it was enough time for him to...gain his powers or whatever, wasn't it?

  
Well, there was only one way to find out. Peter cast one glance at the spidey suit peeking through the wardrobe, then turned away and pulled on his sneakers.

Even if he'd only visited the lair once, he was pretty confident he'd be able to make his way there. He double-checked that he had his phone with him and grabbed a web shooter on the way out. It never hurt to be prepared.

* * *

Peter struggled not to fidget as he stood in front of the plain door of the not-so-plain place. He took a deep breath and raised a hand to knock on the door when it opened with a creak, which seeing there was no one visible through the glass panels on the door, was kinda creepy. 

Peter made a face, he didn't remember the lair being this...disorienting. Maybe it was because the last time he was here, he'd focused most of his energy trying not to scream at the sorcerer (Spoiler, he failed). He straightened his back and walked in with a confidence he didn't feel. 

"Who are you? And what is it you seek from the sanctum, trespasser?", spoke the kinda familiar voice. 

Peter looked up the stairs where Doctor Strange's friend, Kong? Wong? was standing. He looked tense.

Peter prepared to say what he'd rehearsed in his mind multiple times on his way there but what came out was, "I don't think it classifies as trespassing when you open the door for someone, I mean you kinda invited me in, not to say that I am not grateful for that but-"

"What is it you seek?", Wong cut him off, asking in a more stern voice. 

Peter stopped his rambling and got to the point, "I wish-ah, no, I need to speak to Doctor Strange? Like, Stephen strange?" 

Wong looked expressionless, " Stephen Strange isn't here." 

"What?" Peter managed to control his tone, even if he did feel like screaming out loud " But-But, that's not. He should be here, the time is right. He is a wizard, isn't he? He has to be here!"

Anxiety gripped his insides, Strange was supposed to be here, what was he going to do now? What if he wasn't even a wizard yet? What if him telling Wong the doctor's name somehow jeopardized the doctor becoming a sorcerer? How was he-

"Calm down, Kid. He's just not in right now," Wong shrugged a bit, walking down the stairs. His tone changed as though he had realized that Peter meant no harm." Though I would like to know who you are and how you knew of the sanctum, only those that know its location can see it." 

Peter let out a relieved breath and absently nodded, "Yeah, I know. It is like Harry Potter style wards, right? Like the Fidieus "

Wong looked like he didn't know whether to be insulted or not. 

Peter took a deep breath, " Look, My name is Peter Parker. And I- Just tell Doctor Strange it's about the stone, alright? Just tell him I need to talk to him. Can you do that for me, Please?" 

"What about the stone?" 

Peter turned around startled, and there he stood, Doctor Stephen Strange, In all his wizardry glory. He looked unimpressed.

"What about the stone _?_ " The doctor repeated the question, raising an eyebrow.

Peter let out a sigh of relief, then stuffed his hands in his hoodie's pocket, "Its.....a _loooong_ story." 

Strange crossed his arms, "Well then it's good that we have the time, yes?" He opened one of his magical portals, showing the view of a study room with a table and chairs.

 _Time._ Peter felt like laughing. No, they didn't have the time. There was never enough time.

They walked in.

* * *

Strange waited for him to finish his tale, asking a few clarifying questions on the way but not giving any input. In the end, Peter's throat felt hoarse, his eyes burned from the effort of not crying. He kept the story as informative and emotionally distant as possible.

_"-He snapped away half of the universe. I was one of them, I got snapped away too."_

A sentence, just a sentence not showing the tragedy that lies behind it. It was hard enough living with the whole battle playing in his head constantly, he couldn't bring himself to tell all the details. Not the painful ones, the deaths, the loss.

_"He...I-Iron man saved everyone. He used the stones to destroy Thanos's army."_

Screams. Tears. Burning flesh. Him, screaming. 

"And then you found yourself here, no idea how?"

Peter forced himself to nod, He took a huge gulp of the water Strange had provided him halfway through the story. The water helped soothe his throat a bit. 

"Thanos. You said he needed all the stones to work?" Strange was frowning, looking bothered.

Peter nodded again wondering where the doctor was going with this. Strange stood up from the chair looking agitated.

"It doesn't make sense," Strange's hand seemed to gravitate towards his necklace.

_**He's from space, he came here to steal a necklace from a wizard.** _

"Yes, it does. Come on, Mr.Strange" Peter stood up as well, "All we need to do is destroy the stone." He pointed at the necklace, "No stone equals no gauntlet and the universe remains protected." He pleaded a bit, remembering how stubborn the Doctor was about protecting the stone but surely even he could see that it was the only probable plan, a foolproof plan.

"Not possible," He shook his head.

"Look, " Peter took a calming breath, " I know you're like the protector of the stone and stuff but it didn't work! All it did was destroy half of the population, you can't protect the stone. Even if we destroy the other stones he'll just use this one to bring them back!" 

"Mr.Parker-" Strange began.

"He'll find you and it will begin all over again. You have no idea what it was like and now that we have a chance you won't even-" 

"Mr.Parker!" 

Peters's mouth snapped shut, he was breathing heavily. Strange was pursing his lips. 

"It is not possible to destroy the stone, " He held up a finger when it looked like Peter was about to interrupt, " because it was already destroyed," The necklace opened with a click, it was empty. Strange looked at him intently, Peter didn't have any idea what he looked like. All he felt was shock. Disbelief clouded his mind.

"Destroyed?" But it couldn't have been destroyed, this didn't happen before! The stone was fine and Strange gave it to Thanos and-and-

Strange nodded, "Destroyed. Five years ago, during the-"

"NewYork invasion." Peter breathed out, the words hanging in the air between them as silence took over both of them. What was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo what did you think? *Smirk* What do you think is happening cause Peter has no clue whatsoever. Let me know what you think down below, even one-liners are appreciated.Thank you so much for the love and support everyone.  
> -M.S  
> PS: Sorry for the long delay. I really needed a vacation after all the stress from exams.  
> P.PS: Spidey is back in MCU! Feels like a breath of fresh air. Thank God.

**Author's Note:**

> [JOIN ME ON TUMBLR](https://felicismagic18873.tumblr.com/)


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